Massachusetts OKs Rules to Foil Spread of Chlamydia

From CDC National Prevention Information Network

August 12, 2011

New rules approved by state health regulators will allow Massachusetts care providers to prescribe or dispense antibiotics for chlamydia to the sex partners of infected patients, without examining the partners.

"Right now, if you treat someone and cure them, they could literally be re-infected within hours or days from an untreated sexual partner," said Kevin Cranston, director of the state Public Health Department (DPH)'s infectious-disease bureau.

Advertisement

The Public Health Council, an appointed panel of physicians, consumer advocates, and professors, approved the regulation on Wednesday in the hope of reducing the rapid spread of chlamydia, particularly among young people. Cases of the STD have more than doubled over the last decade, from approximately 8,700 in 1999 to more than 21,200 in 2010, DPH data show.

Last year, chlamydia infection rates in people ages 15-19 were quadruple Boston's overall rate, records indicate. The highest rates were among black women ages 15-24. The neighborhoods hardest-hit were Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.

Chlamydia is often symptomless, but left untreated can lead to female infertility. Treatment for most patients is one dose (two pills) of azithromycin.

Patients diagnosed with chlamydia will now be given a prescription and a fact sheet for each sex partner. Cranston said the consumer-friendly fact sheets will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Haitian Creole. If funds allow, the information also will be published in Vietnamese and Khmer, he said.

(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Beforeadding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.